Page 91 of Sinful Mates

“It was my mother’s. I found it in the shed.”

“The fact you can hold it proves it is not your mother’s. A witch can’t hold another witch’s talisman.”

“What?” What she says doesn’t make sense. I’m not a witch. Caroline pulls up out the front of the shed and I jumps out when Claire does, following by Caroline.

“Why are we back here?” Caroline asks, glancing around nervously.

“If she has a talisman, I’m willing to bet her family’s grimoires will be here as well.”

“Grimoires? Like spell books?” I ask. Claire nods, pushing the roller door up and going inside.

“Look, I’ve been through that shed so many times. If my mother or father were a witch, I would have found something resembling spell books by now.” Claire paid me no attention and kept heading toward the office in the back of the shed.

When she opens the door, she gasps. “I knew it.” I peered around trying to find what it is she thinks she found. Claire goes over to my grandfather’s table.

“Honestly, Caroline, I’m surprised you didn’t notice this when you were in here,” she said, running her hand along the top of the table. Caroline stared at the table and I mean really stared at it. Caroline goes over to the table, running her fingers over the design carved in the top which is five different circles. One on each side before a bigger one in the middle. The same vine-like structure joined the four outer circles before vines from each connected the middle circle to the other four.

“It’s an earth pentagram,” Caroline whispers before knocking on the wood. The wood makes a hollow sound, like it has a compartment below the tabletop. I never paid attention to the table before believing the story my mother told me about my grandfather making it.

Claire runs her fingers along the table’s edge before she stops, obviously finding whatever it’s what she was looking for. She bends to look at what her fingers land on underneath the table.

“Imogen, bring your bracelet here.” I go to hand it to her. She shakes her head.

“I’m not touching that thing, bloody burned my fingers damn near off. Place the pendant in the lock,” she says. I furrow my eyebrows before I bending to see this so-called imaginary lock, Only to be surprised when there was indeed a metal lock below the tabletop.

I wasted no time in placing the pendant inside, fitting it perfectly. The lotus shape pendant is actually a key of sorts. The wood groans and sounds like it’s cracking before we hear something click. I stand, thinking for sure the table is going to be split down the middle by the sounds alone. Only it isn’t. But I could tell the table is different. The five circles glow fluorescent green.

It's like nothing I have ever seen before, Claire pushes on the lid and it springs open revealing a long compartment inside. There is dried herbs and some candles, along with four books, covered in fabric cloth. I reached in and grab one, pulling the cloth off. Opening it, I find the book has no writing in it, just blank pages.

I turn to Claire to show her.

“That must be yours, then. The others will be family members of different generations grimoires. Grab them, we need to leave now.” I quickly take the other three books. For the first time, I’m getting a glimpse of my mother’s secret life, I knew nothing about. Caroline quickly shuts the lid on the table, I hear the wood groan before the circle goes back to their normal wood grain look.

“How?” I ask, confused. Claire stops and glances at the table.

“Someone spelled it,” she says before running out. I have to jog to keep up with them as they run for the car.

As soon as I shut the door, Caroline takes off again, making me fall back into the seat and nearly dropping the books. I quickly place them in the footwell and chuck my seat belt on.

“How long?” Caroline asks Claire.

“We have enough time.” Claire is absentmindedly playing with her necklace. After a few minutes, she reached back inside her black bag and pulls out two silver bangles.

“Put this on,” she says, handing one to Caroline and one to me.

I take the bracelet, not knowing what it’s for, but I feel like I can trust Claire.

“What’s it for?” I ask, curious why we were all getting blinged up.

“To stop your mates being able to track you through your bond. They won’t be able to feel you. You can still feel them but Tobias, Theo, and Josiah won’t feel the pull toward you and be able to find you.”

I glance at Caroline. I didn’t know Vampires had mates; I’m a little tripped out that Josiah and Caroline are mates when they were both human to begin with. Caroline chuckles slightly, noticing my gaze through the revision mirror.

“Vampires have bonds too, not like werewolf bonds, not like what you have with Tobias and Theo. They aren’t as strong but once we pick a life partner and spent a long time with them, we pick up on each other, influence each other until eventually a bond is formed.”

I nod, still a little confused.

“What you have with Tobias and Theo is a little different; you are all pieces of whole if that makes sense, like puzzle pieces, without the other ones, the pieces the picture can’t be made, together and joined you become a whole, does that makes sense?” Claire asks, trying to explain.